Sierra Nevada Ovila Dubbel

Ovila Abbey Dubbel is brewed in the abbey tradition, and perfect for the re-birth of spring. Clear and deep copper in color, this Abbey Dubbel has a complex and rich malty sweetness with hints of caramelized sugar. The aroma is a heady and layered mix of fruit and spice, with hints of clove, raisin, and black pepper from the use of an abbey style yeast

3.6

528 reviews

Chico, United States

Community reviews

3.7 Bottle sample from 2011 notes. Pours a cloudy amber brown color with a medium plus sized foamy beige head. The aroma had caramel,spices, Belgian yeast, pepper, fruits, raisins, plums with a splash of chocolate. Flavor had caramel malts, candi sugar, spices, pepper, raisins and plums. Medium bodied, with average carbonation and good mouthfeel.

3.4 Smells and tastes of cracked pepper, and light bread that’s been toasted toasted. Medium pallet, maybe slightly oily. Brown with some red. Some fruitiness on the darker side. Tiny bit of cherry and sugar.

3.7 750 cork & caged bottle - I was completely suprised to find this bottle at my local grocery store. This store is EXTREMELY small, and carry most macro crap, so when I spotted this for under $5.00 a bottle, I jumped on it. And what a really nice beer it was. The beer pours out a murky dark brown body with some soft ruby highlights around the edges. Sitting atop the body was a large, fluffy, 3-finger, off-white head. As the beer was consumed, it left behind a nice array of lacing. The aroma has a nice Belgian spicy yeast intro, steady raisins/figs and candy-ish brown sugar notes. Flavor starts out with some light to medium malty sweetness, a little nutty and raisins and it unfolds into a nice Belgian spice character that reminded me a little of a good English tea. Unfortunately, it did lack some complexity of a great Belgian abbey dubbel like Westmalle or Chimay.

2.6 Not as interesting as we hoped. Pours a very nice deep red/brown with a thin white head. Smells of malts and a bit of caramel. Taste is a bit empty, lots of malt, with a tiny bit of spice. Can't taste any hops whatsoever. Had in the bottle.

3.6 Transfer from BA review from 6-3-12 - Poured from bottle into chalice glass Appearance – Pours a hazy brown color with a hue of red. Upon pouring there is a big off white head that has a very decent retention. Eventually it fades to give a light level of lacing. Smell – A strong brown bread aroma is the heaviest in the nose. This breadiness is mixed with darker fruit aromas of cherry and some prune, a strong yeast smell and a medium boozy smell. Taste – The taste starts out with a dry bready flavor. Towards the middle some flavors of dark fruits and a good bit of yeast cake come to the tongue. These flavors sweeten the brew a bit, but overall it is still rather dry. At the end these flavors are met with an alcohol flavor that leaves a slight booze burn on the tongue. Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is on the creamier side with a medium level of carbonation. With it being more on the dry side a bit more carbonation may have been better, but overall it’s not too bad. Overall – It is an OK dubbel, but nothing too spectacular. It has a more subtle flavor profile and for what you pay for this one you could find other more common dubbel’s that are better overall.

3.6 375 ml corked and caged bottle purchased 18 months ago at Holiday Wine Cellar ($2.97). Opens with a loud pop and pours a reddish brown hue with a finger and a half of cream-colored foam. AROMA of brown sugar, candied figs and raisins, and caramel malts. FLAVOR of dark fruits, some dry spice, with light cherry and toffee. Only lightly sweet. Despite the moderately large ABV for the style, it still has a somewhat watery mouthfeel. Been quite a while since I have had a dubbel and this was okay, but a less rich version of the style which was a bit disappointing. I was hoping that the aging would do more for this. (516, 866)

3.6 This beer is rich brown in color with a hint of red. I has a very sweet aroma of fruit. It has a rich easy going flavor.

3.5 Rated on 7-23-2011 (Corked and caged bottle) The appearance is a medium sized frothy, fizzy tan head with a short retention, reddish brown transparent body, fast rising carbonation, and one ring of lacing. The aroma is malt, sugary, light hops, sweet, dark fruits, and mildly spicy. The taste is sweet, sugary, malty, dark fruits, hops, and light spice. The mouthfeel is semi-lively and this beer is medium bodied. This beer is very quaffable and the flavors blend together very well. This beer is worth trying and a beer I would drink again.

3.5 Aroma is fairly fruity with raisin, fig and prune. Light oxidation notes of honey and faint cardboard. Medium caramel and toffee. Faint banana note with medium clove phenolics. Pours a fairly clear amber with some copper and ruby notes. Medium thick, tan head that recedes somewhat quickly to the edges where it lingers. Light lacing and small legs. Flavor has a light sweetness to it with quit a bit of fruit character. Raisin, figs, prunes and even some overripe stone fruit are all present. Light clove character. Medium low bitterness dries out the finish just a bit and prevents it from being sticky. Some light honey character. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and slightly watery with medium carbonation. Low astringency and medium low alcohol warmth. Overall an alright, dubbel but also somewhat bland and watery. Good fruit esters and phenolics, but its lacking the malt complexity and depth that I would expect. Easy drinking though.

3.1 A hazed brown ale with a thin mocha head. In aroma, sweet fruity molasses malt with vanilla, licorice notes, nice. In mouth, a sweet fruity malt with licorice and molasses, oxidized, not bad but tired.

3.6 Draft - Raisin, brown sugar, dark fruit and abit of spice. Cloudy brown with a light brown head. Clove, brown sugar and dark fruit. Sweet finish and a bit long and cloying. A decent dubbel, but nothing great.

3.5 Delicious dubbel with a thin texture when you taste those malty suds with the caramelized sugars and spicey Belgian abbey ale. A wonderful abbey dubbel with rice tastes that is a little lighter for its type.

3.3 I’m not much on Dubbels but this was ok. Amber pour from a 22 oz bottle. Aroma of sweet malt and caramel. Taste of malt and dark fruits. Some spices in the background.

3.6 Bottle. Poured Amber in color, clear, with an off white head. Aroma of malts and fruit are predominant but yeast and grain are also noticeable. Taste is similar, very sweet, spice and some hops. Very good beer, not bad at all.

3.7 On tap at Commercial Taphouse on 04/14/2011. Clear deep amber body with ruby highlights and a medium creamy tan head. Sweet fruit, spice, caramel aroma. Sweet belgian spice, fruit, dry malt and caramel flavor. Medium body with moderately high carbonation.

3.7 375 mL bottle. Brown with a decent cream colored head. Aroma is of brown sugar, prune, raisin, caramel and candy sugar. Taste is of brown sugar, candy sugar, prune, fig, and caramel.

3.5 Bottle. The look is clear, off white head, and amber red in color. The smell is fruity, caramel, plums, candy, and juice. The taste is malty, fruity, bread, touch of tartness, toast, and raisins.

4.6 caramel, basement aromas, dough, raisin, brown, cloudy, tan foam, heavy cloying sweetness, lightly bitter, lightly sour, medium body, creamy, soft carbonation, long finish, This beer was fantastic. A kind of beer you’re proud to drink because it’s to a good cause.

3.9 Pours a deep amber color with a thin khaki head. Malt, caramel, plum, raisin, cherry, yeast, clove and biscuit aroma. Caramel, malt, brown sugar, cherry, plum, raisin, biscuit, clove, yeast and slight earthy hop flavors. Medium body and carbonation. Sweet with a caramel and brown sugar finish.

3.4 750 ml. Bottle. It pours a deep reddish brown with a fizzy off white head. The aroma is malty and fruity with dried plum, raisin, apple, grape and multigrain malts. Hints of nutmeg and clove. The flavor is the same. Dry and pretty light bodied with thick maltiness in place of spice or fruit character. Good carbonation. More spice and thick malts in the finish. Standard well made Dubbel, but nothing exciting.

3.4 VERY LOW HEAD IN THE EXAMPLE I HAD - BELGIAN CHARACTER LOW IN AROMA - FLAVOR PROFILE WAS GOOD BUT LOW ON MALTINESS AND A BIT THIN IN BODY. NOT TERRIBLE BUT DISSAPOINTED SOMEWHAT

3.6 Aroma is slightly faint & the pour is brown w/ no head, lacing, or bubbles. The taste however more than makes up for it! The body is thick but yet so smooth on the palate! The flavor is very well done concoction of Belgian spice & complexity! Deceivingly delicious!

3.7 Interesting. Complex. Very sweet. Strong notes of plum and cherries. Good presence of the Dubbel yeast. Only complaints are the strong sweetness and the almost funky fruit taste.

4.0 A dessert in a cup. Very tasty, full breadth of flavor. Pungent. Darky browny.

4.0 Very malty and fruity. Weak aroma but that is made up for in the taste. Very solid offering!

3.8 I’m currently rating every SN brew I’ve ever had in one clean sweep. I grew up on the classic SN Pale having it around during high school, and since have watched SN grow into a national representation of incredible craft beer. Living 45 mins away is a treat for the random growler fill. Keep up the amazing work and thanks!

4.0 A: Dark Brown/Amber Hue, Passes Mild Light, Off White Head, Some Lacing S: Dark Plum, Raisins, Sweet Malts, Boozy T: Raisins, Sweet Plums, Boozy M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Boozy, Mildly Sweet Overall, very sweet and boozy, especially for a dubble...good but not great.

3.6 Nice looking 12.7oz bottle into Trappist glass, rusty brown color with creamy tan head. Aroma of candy sugar, molasses, dark dried fruits (raisins, plums) and bread. Taste adds spices (clove, pepper), caramel, chocolate, nuts, fruit (grapes, green apples) balanced with earthy/herbal hops. Medium body, moderate carbonation, creamy, smooth with malty toasty finish. Pretty complex and delicious.

3.2 Bottle. Pours fizzy dark copper with a thin dissipating tan head. Aroma is dark fruit and a hint of vanilla. Taste is lots of raisin. Kind of buttery, maybe infected. Hard to say. Medium fizzy palate. Not bad but I'd like to try it again and see if this bottle is off.

3.1 750 ml bottle from Hampton Falls Village Market in Early summer. Deep brown color with a thin ring of head in the tulip. Nose of dark malts; raisins, plum Belgian yeast and molasses. The flavor is mostly the same as the aroma with a mineral type note and for some strange reason I also get alcohol notes. I don’t know why I taste alcohol in only a 7.5 % beer. Maybe the malt profile is something I don’t really care for. As it warmed I cared for it even less. Guess this isn’t my thing. And I do enjoy the style... don’t know.